


I Shot The Wolf In The Eye

by DaffyBud



Series: A Gourd Of Fire [2]
Category: Paladins: Champions Of The Realm (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Multi, like really slow burn, slowburn, tags will be updated after each chapter tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-05-04 12:58:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14593530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaffyBud/pseuds/DaffyBud
Summary: Ever since the disbandment of the Sentinels, Strix has been on his own. He has traveled to work with Karne once more due to his low fundings, yet with the plans, he was given, a program comes back to him called Paladins. Does he join, where someone he meets will change his life? Or does he ignore it and continue his time?





	1. QUICK PSA

** PLEASE READ ME BEFORE CONTINUING!! **

If you have not read A Gourd of Fire, please read that before continuing to this story. Though this may be a pre/sequel to A Gourd of Fire, this will avoid any confusion in future chapters! You can find A Gourd of Fire in my works! If you have read A Gourd of Fire, then proceed!


	2. L A N D S T R I D E R




	3. Chapter 1

“Hey, owl boy. Wake up,”

Strix opened an eye, peering up to see a familiar face. A woman with corn-colored hair with gray streaks through it. She wore a blue colored gem that dangled from her elven ear. Di’vellely, a friend Strix made while traveling. She was a hunter who wished to hunt the rarest of breeds, but Strix wasn’t entirely on board with her dreams, but if she was the ticket to keep him busy, so be it. Strix put on his hood over his black braided hair and hopped down from the tree branch he was laying on. He landed next to her, brushing himself off and kept his eyes hard on her.

“You ready to go?” He asked, crossing his arms. She shook her head, but by the posture she wore, it was something more important.

“I think I found your friend,” She said, smirking. Strix raised an eyebrow in response, taken slightly aback.  _ Friend? What friend? _

“Does the name Buck or Fernando ring a bell?” She asked. Strix dropped his arms upon hearing both of those names. Fernando did ring a bell, but Buck was far too familiar. He was part of Strix’s Warband: him, Tyra, Strix and their commander, Viktor. They were the mightiest, but they had to depart.

“Where? Where is he?” Strix asked, grabbing her shoulders. She took his hands off her shoulders with slight disgust.

“He’s at the stop. He’s with Fernando, a dragon, and some witch doctor. They are going through the Gorlock pass towards Honeywater Inn. If your quick, you’ll see them there,” she said. “I’ll be heading to town if you wish to find me.”

“I think this is where we go our separate ways, Ellie. If I found my one way stop to my old team, then I am following,” Strix explained. She stared at him then spat on the ground away from both of them and let out a hand. Strix shook it firmly and smiled brightly.

“See ya, Strix and good luck,” Ellie said. Strix nodded and proceeded to where the stop was, occasionally gazing back to see Ellie who was waving to him. Strix traveled through the dense forest and towards the stop. Once the forest cleared, he saw the familiar large building in front of him and without hesitation, he walked in. There were only two people in it.

_ They must’ve gone through Gorlock pass _ , he thought and turned his heel and ran towards the path. Strix was familiar with the area since he had been living in the vicinity for almost a week. After all, might as well learn about the land. When getting towards the path, he grabbed his gun from under his cape and jogged into the path. The shortcut to Honeywater Inn was the dangerous one by far, due to it holding Gorlocks; fearsome creatures that can snap trees like a twig. Strix, himself, had encountered one up close with his Warband. If it weren’t for Viktor’s clever escape plan, they wouldn’t have made it alive.

The time passed as Strix walked the path. It seemed like hours, but those hours went by sudden as he thought of the many scenarios of what would happen when he saw Buck.  _ How would I approach him? I don’t want it to seem like I have been following him. Would he even remember me? What if it’s a different Buck? Would I follow him or would we separate ways again? _

Strix thoughts stopped when he heard distant voices and two figures. Keeping low, Strix turned away from the path and into the forest to avoid them. Strix walked among the dense forest, catching up to the two.

One was quite larger than the other, wearing armor that shone against the sun. Red feathers streamed down from the helmet and swayed with every loud clunk of a step he made. He carried with him a shield and a lance. The lance glowed with orange crystals and slight flame. The other person was.. someone. They wore a mask with feathers on top of it. A green shawl perched on their shoulders with a brown robe-like outfit underneath and baggy pants. They were barefoot, having only rags to serve as protection for them.

Paying no mind to them, Strix scouted ahead, making sure to keep low and out of sight.

“Did you hear that?” Strix heard one of them ask. Strix froze as they stopped, examining around for him.  _ Let’s pray this still works. _ Pulling out a small smoke bomb from a pouch, Strix tossed it to the ground. A cloud formed around him and he sneaked behind the two. The large one explored in his direction but didn’t notice him. Crossing the path, Strix made it to the other side and deeper into the forest, where they were nothing but a murmur. Strix sighed with relief once the coast was clear and continued.

The forest grew into difficult terrain; climbing over fallen trees and getting through messes of the brush. It was Gorlock territory, but it meant close to Honeywater Inn.

After climbing a tree, his blood grew frigid on what he saw in front of him. Crystals. Large crystals that grew tall from a rocky skin. Low, gurgled breathing. The very thing Strix didn’t wish to see again.

To his luck, once observing it during his frozen state, it was only a baby and asleep. Strix explored his surroundings and tiptoed to the nearest tree and quietly climbed up it. Strix observed the Gorlock. Its hide was already scratched up and fresh, it's wounds seeming new and it was resting from a fight. Strix felt pity softly prick at him. Must’ve been abandoned.

“Mind if we take a quick break? My feet are starting to ache.”

Strix turned his head to see the familiar pair. One of them sat on a log, far away from the Gorlock, who twitched upon hearing them. Strix panicked and pulled out his pistol, thinking of some way to get the two out of here. As he grabbed his rifle and pistol, he heard the two began to talk among another, luckily the Gorlock still sleeping, but Strix didn’t want them to wake it up. Their talk then grew to bickering, then yelling.

“Call me snake-boy one more time and I will gut you!” Strix heard one of them exclaim. The Gorlock huffed. Strix turned his attention to them, checking his pistol.

“What do you want me to do? Call you sir or mister and kiss your hand? Cause I will do it right now!” The knight exclaimed and grabbed the man’s hand and kissed it. The man then back slapped the knight with a loud clap and Strix softly hissed under his breath.

“Ouch.”

The Gorlock then huffed and got up and Strix closed his mouth, watching it inspect around in anger with its six eyes. Strix gripped his pistol, aiming it towards the Gorlock who didn’t notice him.  _ Keep your attention on me, big guy. _ He then shot a flare at it, hoping to aim for one of its crystals in the back, but to his dismay, it moved, aiming for one of the crystals near its front. It’s attention now went to the two arguing and charged after them.

“Oh come-!” Strix barked. He watched as the Gorlock slammed into the knight and carry with it like a car hitting a man at full speed. The knight cried in pain. Strix put away his pistol carefully and aimed with his rifle, peeking into the scope as the Gorlock released the knight. Strix pulled the trigger, the bullet landing into its thick hide. It roared in response and got up on its rear legs, hoping to stomp the knight, who luckily rolled away. Strix peeked into the scope again after discarding the bullet. The Gorlock’s attention was now on the man who...  _ Wait _ . He stopped his focus to see the man who had a snake on his arm.  _ Why does he- Strix! The Gorlock! _ Strix shifted his attention back to the Gorlock and shot a bullet, but it hit the shield, causing it to crack.

“You're really out of practice today,” Strix muttered to himself, discarding yet another bullet. He grabbed his flashbang, pulled the safety clip and threw it. The flashbang slammed into the Gorlock’s side and Strix watched as all three of them went blank, the knight dropping his shield. Without hesitation, Strix shot the Gorlock as it was stunned, putting much effort into harming it. The three then gained their visions back and the Gorlock cried with pain.

**_“Sun Da Wekono!”_ **

It was then, a large beast emerged from the ground and next to the Gorlock. A cobra, hissing at the Gorlock, terrifying it away. Strix felt himself nearly fall off the tree from the sudden beast, but kept his balance. The Gorlock then turned and ran off into the forest, away from the cliffs and on the other side of the path. The large snake then vanished and Strix slumped into the tree, sighing with relief. Another close call with a Gorlock. As Strix began to put his rifle away, he saw the knight begin to approach his area. Strix vanished again, staying up in the tree, watching him closely and carefully. He left and Strix went back to his normal state, seeing them discuss among another. They left as the knight was in pain and Strix watched them go.

“So that was him,” He muttered under his breath. As he saw them vanish from his sight, Strix dropped down from the tree and followed the same path they traveled. The day went to dusk, the sky changing from a blue to purples and pinks. Strix watched the two enter the Inn in a hurry.  Strix stayed outside of Honeywater Inn due to being low on funds and couldn’t afford any rooms. He hadn’t seen Buck to his dismay, but Strix kept his hopes up. Who knows what'll happen. The night went by without a problem, tho Strix did toss and turn during the night just thinking that one member of the sentinels could be there. Five years they had been gone apart, it felt as if Strix barely knew them at that point. Strix longed to see their faces just for one more day. Each of them, having a drink in hand and singing their songs terribly, but they didn’t care. 

Strix woke up, feeling the sun yet again keeping him warm. Strix stared at the sky, seeing it being close to high noon. His stomach growled, wishing for any kind of food. Strix dug through his pouches in response, hoping to find something.  _ Only if lent was edible.  _ Strix hopped down from the tree and walked into the Inn, digging through his pockets for change. 

“Hello dear, how can I help you?” A female vulpine asked, stepping on a small flight of stairs for her to reach him. She was quite small, light dusty brown fur with white stripes through her hair. She adjusted her glasses as she spoke, showing a welcoming smile.

“What’s the cheapest meal you have?” Strix asked, counting the gold pieces he had in his pocket. 

“That’d be the chicken. It will be six gold pieces,” she said.  _ Six gold pieces? For such an unbusy inn they sure are expensive. _ Strix didn’t argue but reluctantly gave her the gold pieces. She took them and dropped them into a pocket in her apron.

“We will get it to you here shortly!” She exclaimed and hopped off the small stairs, exiting through the back door. Strix leaned against the counter, tapping his fingers against it and observed the Inn around him. 

It had a natural aesthetic to it. The couches were green with a wooden outline, carved in spirals. Paintings of nature were placed around the walls to fill the emptiness of it. A fireplace was on the far left of the Inn with chairs surrounding it. It was small, but the atmosphere of it felt humble and home-like. 

After a few minutes of waiting, the vulpine came back with a heated plate of chicken meat, cut up into pieces. 

“Here you go, dear. Enjoy yourself,” The Vulpine smiled. Strix smiled back and thanked her, sitting in a chair. It was quiet, only sounds of noises of the kitchen and outside made music for the Inn. 

“So, what brings you here?” The vulpine questioned, hoping to start a conversation. “Are you hunting?”

“I’m not hunting. I am just passing through,” Strix replied, taking another bite of the chicken.  _ Oh, this is wonderful.  _

“I’d be cautious then. We had a knight come in beaten up awfully from a Gorlock attack just last night. The poor soul was in that room all day wounded. Thankfully his friend was calm, polite and gifted from the gods. Healed the man with no problem!” The vulpine rambled. 

“Did he fix him?” Strix asked, confused on what to word it as. “As in the wound was gone?”

“Oh I don’t know, but they call themselves ‘champions’. They fight for watcher’s entertainment and goodness, they get violent,”

Moment of truth. “Was one of these champions large? Muscular build with a symbol on their forehead? Probably goes by Buck,”

“Yes! A silly man he is,” The vulpine said, giggling softly to herself. Strix felt his heart race with enthusiasm. 

“Are they still here?” Strix asked. 

“Oh, they left hours ago. They just booked out to head back to where they came,” The vulpine responded. Strix excitement faded to fear, feeling the chicken slightly turn sour in his stomach. He had no time to lose then. He grabbed the rest of the chicken and shoved it into an empty pouch. 

“That’s my cue to leave then,” He said, getting up.

“Oh, are you with them?” She asked. Strix rushed to the door but spun around to face her as he backed away.

“Let’s say we haven’t seen each other in a long time,” Strix responded.

“Good luck then!” She replied, waving. Strix held up a hand and rushed out the door and towards the shortcut path. As he made his way through the forest, the thought of losing his chance to find a new purpose terrified him. He didn’t want to lose this opportunity. 

After the hours of walking, he made it out of the path, seeing in the distance a bus and a small group boarding it. Part of that group was the familiar masked man and a far too familiar muscular man. As Strix saw them boarding, Strix ran into a full sprint towards the bus. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears as he got closer and closer to the bus, but yet, it started to grow distant. Escaping his grip of opportunity.  _ I can’t be late, I was right there! I am right there! _ The bus then drove off as Strix reached the stop, seeing it disappear into the turn. He fell on his knees, breathing heavily as his victory was ripped out of his hands. His only chance,  _ gone. _


	4. Chapter 2

Strix continued his way to where he was originally headed, trying to keep the disturbed feeling away. It latched onto him like a bear trap, making sure he could not get out of it, resulting him to chew his own foot off till he was free. However, he stayed in that bear trap and ignored it as best as he could. Heavier thoughts soon followed the more he walked alone. Things that he had to stop and sit in order to recollect himself with. He loathed it.

Strix’s feet ached during the cold nights. He could see his breath with every exhale. He was freezing, shaking violently to keep himself warm. He forced himself to rest for the night. He gathered sticks and put them in a pile and shot his flare at it. The stick took it and erupted in flames. Strix sat near it and put his hands in front of it, gathering the faint heat from it. He strayed from the upset thoughts and pondered upon who this ‘Fernando’ was. 

Strix was familiar with Fernando, but the only thing Strix knew was Fernando's past. Strix and Karne had discussed upon Fernando once they truly knew who he was. Strix barely remembered, but what he knew was Fernando was a thief--a grave robber. Strix wished to take care of it, but Karne reassured Strix, for Fernando held ‘great promise’. Strix saw the embers die down as the night progressed. He retired and let his exhaustion take over, falling asleep. 

Strix twitched open an eye as he heard muttering. He darted his eye around, seeing what was the source, but it was everywhere. Whispers in every direction, giving orders such as: ‘Approach slowly’ or ‘Don’t wake him’.  Strix immediately knew that these were bandits. He vanished from their sight and sneaked away. He could hear them beginning to panic.

“Where did he go!?” 

“What’s going on?”

Strix grabbed his bag and scampered away from the thieves until their voices were only a murmur. He climbed up a tree and rested there for the night uncomfortably, but it was a safe way from the thieves. 

It now had felt like a month of how long Strix traveled. It was a routine over and over. Wake up, walk, find food, rest, walk again, eat small portions of food, more walking, sleep, and repeat. He was lucky to even survive the harsh, winter nights. The gods clearly wished for him to stay longer, despite the time he had served. Even if Strix died, he wouldn’t have lived a short life. To his relief, he saw civilization and ocean ahead of him. He had reached the edge of the continent. Next step was to board a boat that hopefully led to where he needed to go. 

Strix rushed to the town eagerly in a jog. As he hit where the town was, he explored a bit. He asked around, wondering where the docks were and each person pointed him in the direction. Strix followed and finally reached the salt-smelling docks. Birds screeched in the blue skies, keeping a keen eye for any stray food available to them to snatch. Strix observed the boats each. They were almost similar, but yet the slim difference changed the boat’s appearance entirely.

“Can I help you?” 

Strix turned around to an older gentleman; short dusty blonde hair and much shorter in size than Strix was. The man waited patiently for Strix’s response. 

“Uh- No.. Actually yes,” Strix stuttered. “Any schedules for these boats?”

“Meaning where they are headed?” The man asked for clarification.

“Yes,” Strix replied. 

“Well. Tel is heading eastward in a week and Orpha is heading out tonight around twenty-two,” The man explained. “The rest of ‘em have no schedule yet.”

An idea then shot into Strix’s mind. “Where is Orpha heading?”

“Northward.”

If it was true, then Strix knew how to get to Karne. He had the plan all figured out as the man spoke in mere seconds. Tonight, Strix will board this person’s departing ship and be apart of the supplies. If Strix is lucky, he could steal food during the trip. He then can sneak out when it lands and continue his merry way.

“Thank you,” Strix smiles and walks away. He observed the sun, seeing it just barely touch the highest point in the sky. He had the whole day ahead of him to waste before tonight. With that in mind, Strix decided to treat himself and search for the nearest bar. Strix enters upon finding one, the strong smell of alcohol, tobacco, and meat engulfed his senses. He sneezed from the overwhelming combination of each. It was dark compared to the bright and sunny exterior. This was a place where the dark insiders hide from the cheerful outside, avoiding all forms of contact. Strix took a seat at one of the bar stools, waiting patiently for the bartender. He scanned the area more, watching each person who sat at a table.

“What’ll it be?” The bartender asked when he approached.

“Something light,” Strix replied. The bartender nodded and grabbed a glass bottle, pouring a drink and slid it to Strix. 

“Four gold,” 

Strix placed it on the table and the bartender took it, tucking it into his front pocket. Strix sipped the drink. It was bitter and watery, but it at least served as some form of alcohol. He turned his attention to one of the televisions hanging above the bar. Two men were discussing with each other. One had dark skin and a dress shirt. The other had long hair, wearing a suit with a tie. Both of them wore headsets and sat at a table. 

“Especially with that cauterize. It really brings that struggle so the red team was wise enough to get that first,” The long-haired man said. 

“Exactly, Nick. Anyway, that’s it for now. We will be back in an hour for our next match up,” The other man said. Background music then began to play, showing a logo: Paladins: Champions of the Realm. 

“Excuse me,” Strix called to the bartender. He approached. “Do you know what this is all about?”

“Oh. It’s this booming thing,” The bartender explained. “These guys fight each other for entertainment. If you ask me, it’s going to take over every other sport out there.”

“They just fight each other? That’s it?” Strix questioned.  _ There had to be more to it. _

“Pretty much. There are different types of modes; Siege and Payload are the only ones I know,” the bartender continued. “Recently I heard rumors one of the champions left.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. Don’t know who,”

“That’d be Mal’damba,” A man sitting at the same bar table said. Both Strix and the bartender turned their attention to him. “It’s a damn shame. He was such a great healer too.”

“Mal’damba?” Strix continues to ask again, too curious of these “games”. 

“Some witch doctor lookin’ fellow. He wore a mask with feathers on it and tribal wears. Either from the Africa region or Jaguarian Island,” The man continued. It then struck Strix.  _ It must’ve been the Mal’damba he saved at Gorlock Pass. Could Buck possibly be-? _

“Quick question,” Strix began.

“Shoot,” The man said.

“Is there a knight in this.. ‘Paladins’ or whatever it’s called?” 

“Yeah. Fernando,” The man said. Strix swallowed. What were the odds of this… even happening?

“Who else is in it?” 

“Look, buddy, I ain’t no fanboy of these characters rather than others out there—enjoying every second of their games. I am faintly familiar,” The man huffed. 

“You seem to know a portion,” Strix shot back, taking another swig of his drink.

“Hnh. You question too much to speak such bold words, but I can’t argue against the truth,” The man said. “Who I know is Pip, Ying, Fernando, Mal’damba, Buck, and Kinessa.”

Strix slammed down the drink, staring deeply into the man’s eyes in shock. 

“Kinessa? Is she a sniper by any chance?” 

“Yes, she is actually. You know her?” The man asked. Strix’s heart was racing, like it could rip out of his chest at any second. Strix knew Kinessa.  _ He taught Kinessa. _

The memories came in right there. Strix was her teacher during his time in the Sentinels. She was stubborn he will admit but held great opportunity of how much she surprised him. Yet she had to leave for how much she didn’t enjoy the military diligence. She was true to her obdurateness.

“Not technically,” Strix finally answers to him. “She’s familiar.”

The man raised an eyebrow and nodded, then ignored Strix. Strix too went back to pretending the man wasn’t there. Strix drank the rest of his alcohol and left the bar. He spent the rest of the day walking into stores, peering at items and leaving. He even snuck into a town play just to watch it. It sure did kill a lot of time. He waited and waited in the pale moonlight by the docks and in a tree. Guards were now scouting the area, keeping watch. Strix had a laugh when a guard was frightened by a cat by the docks. The poor thing fell into the water—not the cat, but the guard. 

There was a whistle as Strix watched a group of people board a boat.  _ That’s my cue.  _ Strix hopped down the tree and sprinted to the docks, keeping out of sight. Once he reached closer to the ship, he turned invisible and too got on.

“Oi. Ya, hear that?” 

“Hear what?”

“Ah ‘eard some sort of flute,” 

“Probably a beggar, Vin,”

“Ah true.”

That worry was off of Strix’s shoulder. He browsed the ship and saw a hatch. He lifted it and hopped in. As he got out of his stealth, he browsed around. There were boxes upon boxes stacked and shoved into there. It reeked of wet wood. Strix touched the ground.  _ Dry.  _ Relieved, he climbed over each box until he got to the edge of the ship. He moved boxes to block any form of sight of him and sat down. Strix heard voices above which was hard to tell due to them being muffled. Strix crossed his arms and closed his eyes, waiting until sleep took him. The ship rocked as it got further out into the water, like a mother rocking it’s child. Strix then fell asleep.

Images of Kinessa and Strix’s Warband flashed in his head. They were laughing while sitting at a table, drinks in each of their hands. Strix doesn’t know why he was laughing as well. Probably because someone had told a joke that got them roaring their drunken lungs out. Viktor then took his drink and held it up. He told something. Strix couldn’t make it out, but he went along as if he knew. They clinked their drinks and cheered. Strix heard singing. Singing that was close to his ear. 

Strix opened his eyes, hearing that same song above him. It was muffled, but low. It was now lighter, probably morning or something Strix concluded, despite the short dream. Strix turned to his side and put up his hood to attempt to block out the singing as he tried to sleep again. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more but a bed to sleep on. The thoughts of the bed in the Magistrate quarters made it feel like paradise to what Strix was in. Strix was beginning to doze off as unreal images flashed through his mind, but when a large yell came from one of the sailors, Strix stirred.  _ What can I do to get some sleep?   _ The singing did eventually stop now he was able to fall back to sleep. There were no dreams this time for it was only black, or that’s what Strix remembers. 

“Aye!”

Strix opened his eyes and scrambled to sit up. Above him was a large, muscular man gazing down at Strix. His dreadlocks were tied back into a braid. Upon his dark skin was a tattoo of some form of rat creature biting into a snake just barely visible on his arm, which was covered by his cream, dirty shirt. 

“Whadda think yer doin’?”


	5. Chapter 3

Strix kept his eyes glued to the man in front of him, not moving an inch. His eyes then darted from left to right, trying to find a route to escape. With no possible way to escape, Strix raised his hands in defeat. The man chuckled, then grabbed the scruff of Strix’s hood, lifting him up like a lion cub. Strix wriggled to get out of the man’s grasp, but the man shook Strix violently, stopping Strix from fighting back. The man climbed the stairs and onto the deck.

“Aye, Cap’n! We got a stowaway!” The man boomed, shaking Strix above him. Other members began to crowd around, looking at Strix. One of them spat in his direction, forcing Strix to give them a glare. There were sounds of metal thumping against the wood that averted Strix’s attention. Part of the crowd moved away to reveal a person.

They wore a tricorn, three large red feathers sticking out from the back, and a navy blue coat. It was unknown of what gender they were in their elven features; light skin with narrow hazel eyes and brown hair with dark blue streaks in it. Their left leg was absent, being replaced with a metal mechanism that descended and ascended with every step.

They got close to Strix’s face to the point where he felt their hot breath. They withdrew after getting a look at Strix, crossing their arms.

“Explain who you are,” The captain ordered.

“Strix. I am trying to get to the Magistrate Palace,” Strix immediately explained as brief as he could.

“The Magistrate Palace now?” The captain asked, amused. “You know this boat isn’t going nowhere near it,”

“Yes, but you are landing where I need to be. Closer or not, I need to be on the continent,” Strix replied. The captain loses their amused look, now painting a more hostile one.

“How come?” They asked.

“That’s my own business,”

“It’s my business now since you boarded my ship! Either you start talking-” The captain snapped their fingers twice and the man holding Strix walked to the edge, holding him over the crashing water. “Or you will have to swim your way there.”

“I’m only meeting someone!” Strix shouted, trying to hide his fear. He felt the hand loosen on his outfit. “Okay! Okay! I am heading towards the Magistrate Palace to meet with Karne, The Grand Magister of the Magistrate! As said, I go by Strix! I use to work with the Sentinels and I went under Ghostfeather! Look! Look!”

He fumbled through his belt and pulled out his gun. He yanked the bottom out, showing the crystals stored within it. “See? Proof!”

“Let me see that,” The captain said, walking over and snatching it from Strix grasp. They carefully inspected it, then closed it. They aimed at a nearby barrel and pulled the trigger. It made a large cracking noise upon impact and the bullet left a large black mark. They lowered the pistol, admiring the shot they made, then snapped their fingers. The man tossed Strix onto the deck. Strix landed chest first, feeling his breath leave his lungs. As he was recollecting himself, the pistol was thrown in front of him. He took it and stowed it away. When he got up, a mop was thrown in his direction along with an empty bucket.

“To make up for sneaking onto my ship, you will be cleaning it for us,” The captain said. “The whole time.”

“I am not your maid,” Strix snapped. He felt a hand grab the scruff of his outfit again. “Fine.”

He spent the rest of that morning cleaning the deck. He watched the crew stare at him as they either relaxed or worked around. One of them even waved to Strix. It was a short female. She had horns, one of them was shaved off, and a tail that swished the bugs away. Strix had waved back; she giggled then returned to work.

Once Strix had finished, he threw the mop and bucket in a corner and sat down. He scanned the area. It was still midday, just almost noon. There will no land in nearby other than the ongoing abyss of dark blue waves that stretched beyond Strix’s sight.

“Sticks,” A gruff voice said. Strix turned to it, seeing a man approach him.

“It’s Strix,” Strix corrected him, but the man ignored him.

“The captain wishes to see you in their quarters,” The man continued. Strix got up and followed the man. The man walked to the back of the ship where a door was. The man knocked on the door.

“Come in!” A voice on the other side said. In quick, swift movement, the man opened the door and shoved Strix in, closing the door once Strix stumbled in. Strix turned to the captain who was sitting at their desk, their legs propped up on the table. They were carving a small object, undeveloped to tell what it was.

“Take a seat, stowaway,” The captain said, pointing to the available seat in front of them with their knife. Strix proceeds to sit, watching as the captain continues to carve. It was mesmerizing of how they carved; the way they cut made the wood seem like butter. Their hands weren’t harmed at all, only covered in bits and pieces of the wood.

“So, you are visiting Karne?” The captain asked, not breaking eye contact from the wood and knife.

“Yes,” Strix replied. The captain blew at the wood piece and brushed away the shavings from their chest before continuing.

“Is this a mission?” They continue to inquire.

“As mentioned, that’s personal information,” Strix stated. The captain scoffed, flicking a shaving onto the ground.

“And you mentioned something about Sentinels?”

“I use to work with them,”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t be tossing that information around. Who knows who’ll hear that,”

“Ma’- Sir-” Strix stuttered.

“Just call me Orpha,” They interrupted.

“My apologies Orpha, but at this point, why bother when the Sentinels disbanded?” Strix argued. For that moment, Orpha took their eyes off of their carving and gazed deeply into Strix’s eyes. They now switched legs, their right now resting on their left.

“You’re lucky I am with the Magistrate,” Orpha said.

“..What?” Strix blurted out, now more confused than ever.

“The Resistance? The crystal war? Surely you know of this,”

“Yes, I am familiar, but is that still going on?” Strix asked. “I thought it ended once it was getting nowhere,”

“Oh, you know how stubborn Karne is,” Orpha said, now returning their eye contact back to their carving.

“So, are you saying there are still people fighting each other?”

“Eeeeh. You could say that,”

“And Karne is still trying to gather these crystals?”

“Look, stowaway, I only know things from rumors,” Orpha stated. Strix now slumped in his seat. He had many questions, even to ask Karne.

“I got another job for you,” Orpha said. “I have supplies I need to deliver and I need someone to check them. I would ask Hi’lah, but you know the drill.”

Orpha pulled open a drawer and took out a clipboard and threw it onto the table towards Strix. Strix got up and took it. He began to leave, but Orpha cleared their throat, making Strix turn around.

“Not so fast,” Orpha said. They put down the carving and knife on the desk and wiped them self off. Orpha ushered Strix to follow them as they exited. Strix followed behind them as they walked to the dock. Orpha looked upwards, shielding their eyes from the harsh sunlight.

“Hey, Straw! You up there?” Orpha called. A figure peaked out of the crows nest, then grabbed some lose rope and swung down. As soon as the figure landed, Strix was able to see who it was.

It was the unknown woman. She looked to Orpha, then to Strix. She was short compared to both of them, but just by a few inches.

“Straw, I need you to watch stowaway as he checks the supplies,” Orpha commanded. Straw nodded, still looking at Strix curiously. Orpha left them both to their own devices. Strix opened the hatch to under the boat and climbed the ladder down. As he got down, he looked at all the boxes that were scattered everywhere. Strix grumbled under his breath. He started with one box and opened it. Inside was different types of animal skins. Strix looked at the clipboard and checked off the animal skins.

Strix continued this process of checking boxes, Straw following him like a curious child. Strix was confused on how she acted, not add what she even  _ was _ . Whenever she saw a rat or another small creature, she’d chase after it. If she caught it, she would leave Strix alone and come back down without the rat. She was quiet too: whenever Strix asked a question, Straw would either nod, shake her head or stare at Strix.

“That’s the last box,” Strix said, checking off “Metal” on the clipboard. “I’ll take this to Orpha.”

Strix climbed back onto the deck and to his surprise, it was nearing dusk. Strix sauntered to Orpha’s office, Straw still following Strix. Strix knocked on Orpha’s door and waited.

“Come in!” Orpha said. Strix opened the door. Orpha was at their desk, writing on some papers. Strix put down the clipboard in front of Orpha. Orpha raised an eyebrow then turned to Straw.

“How was he?” Orpha said. Straw grinned widely and held her hands behind her back, her tail moving back and forth.

“Huh. Alright then. Straw you're dismissed,” Orpha said. Straw nodded and turned around. Strix then felt a small impact against his rear as Straw slapped it with her tail and skipped away. Strix’s face turned a slight tint of red, but luckily, Orpha wasn’t paying attention to him.

“E-Excuse me,” Strix stuttered, recovering from the awkward moment. “Is there anything you need?”

“Do you wish to do more?” Orpha asked.

“Do you want the answer you want to hear or a truthful answer?”

Orpha laughed. They put down their pen, their attention now fully to Strix. “Alright, I'll let you rest for the while. Luckily I have nothing I can give you unless you want to mop the deck again.”

“I'd rather not,” Strix fussed.

“Fair enough,” Orpha said. “Well, if you want a place to rest, you can use the spare quarters. Use to belong to my trainee who’s now a captain of their own.”

“Thank you Orpha,” Strix smiled.

“Hey, don’t warm up to me too fast, Strix,” Orpha said, pointing a finger, too smiling. “But just turn left from the door and it’s right there. Hard to miss.”

Strix left Orpha, following their directions. Strix had seen the door presented before him, entering in. It was small compared to Orpha’s own quarters. A bed was at one side of the room while the room itself was covered in many different treasures. Strix began to explore, looking at each of these treasures like it was art in a museum. What caught Strix’s eye the most was a picture of an ocean with a ship right of the entire ocean. Its sky was oranges and pinks—a sign of sunset. In the corner of it was writing in cursive.

“To my dearest captain. One day we will see each other and sail side by side,” Strix read. There was a signature, a large F with a small scribble next to it.

A loud yawn forced Strix out of his gazing. He set his items on the nightstand next to the bed and collapsed into it. He couldn’t help but smile, glad to even sleep in such a proper bed. He didn’t want to leave the ship now. Not ever.

I can finally get the proper night sleep, Strix thought as he closed his eyes. I won’t be waking up anytime soon.

With a single exhale, he let himself fall asleep into a void of black. A warm, comforting void that embraced him, protecting him as he slept.


	6. Chapter 4

Strix couldn’t help but keep looking at the growing stretch of land in front of him. Relief and excitement swept over him, yet a bit of uneasiness. He still had the long journey to make it to the Magistrate Palace, so the outcome was rather uncertain of whether he would make it or not. Yet, it didn’t matter to the Ghostfeather, knowing he had one task to focus on and he was this far. There was no turning back.

“Welp,” A voice said behind him as he mopped. He turned around to the familiar elven captain, Orpha, who moved their tricorne up with a thumb. “Guess this is your stop, Strix. Excited?”

“I honestly don’t know what to feel,” Strix admitted. “It’s still such a long way to Karne.”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” Orpha said. “How long do you assume you’ll be walking?”

“A month or two approximately. If I’m lucky I could take a bus or zeppelin,” Strix replied.

“Sounds like Hell,” Orpha said. “Yet I admire that in a way. You got some patience.”

Their conversation stopped short as suddenly the crew began to work for they were only a few minutes away from the docks. Orpha went to the wheel and commanded the crew while Strix worked on the deck. After a few minutes of yelling back and forth from crew to captain, the ship was finally anchored on the humid docks. The crew started unloading as Strix grabbed his stuff and got off the ship.

“Hey, Strix!” Strix turned around to Orpha jogging up to him. “You forgot something.”

What was placed in Strix’s hand was a heavy sack that rattled with metal. When Strix peered inside, he stared directly at Orpha. “I don’t need this.”

“Bullshit, you could barely afford to board my boat! You need enough to at least get you on a bus to somewhere near the palace,” Orpha retorted. “And secondly, you did a lot for the crew and me, so you deserve it.”

Strix paused before smiling widely and tucking the pouch of gold away. He held out a hand. The captain stared down at it, before gripping his arm and made a firm shake. The two released and Orpha turned around and walked back to their ship.

“Say hello to Karne for me!” They said, waving a hand. Strix smiled then took another look at the ship and the crew. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Straw, looking at him while hanging from the shrouds. Strix waved at her who waved back eagerly. Strix turned his heel and walked into town.

It was a rather busy area. Markets and stores bustled as people passed the cobblestone streets. As Strix sauntered, he watched two Magistrate guards walk past on horses. He ignored them once he saw a bar in his view and walked in. It was nearly empty; only two people were inside. He quickly scanned the televisions. Nothing showed any battling or “Paladins”.

“Can I help you?”

Strix turned to the voice that came from the female bartender. “Yes. Is there any forms of transportation I can use to get to the next town?”

“Well, depends on where you’re going,” The bartender said.

“I’m trying to get to the Magistrate Palace,” Strix said.

“That’s a long ways away,” The bartender replied. “But walking on foot is the only way to get to the town—Willowdine. It’s West from here.” She pointed in the direction.

“Thanks,” Was all Strix had to say before leaving. He followed where the bartender pointed and traveled in that direction and left the town.

It was back to square one: traveling alone on foot. Strix felt his feet ache as he walked. Usually, he would be able to walk for miles, yet being on a ship for a whole month could change that drastically. This was something Strix was not going to get used to for a long while.

Much to Strix’s surprise, the town was only a week away. He hurried to it, seeing the day soon coming to an end. He browsed around for any shops or buildings that interested him and to his luck, a motel was calling his name. He walked in, seeing the front desk clerk.

“Hello sir, how can I help you?” The clerk asked.

“A room please,” Strix said.

“Just for a night?”

“Yes,”

“That’d be 40 gold,”

Easily the transaction was made. Strix was handed his room key and led to his room. It was a small bedroom, having only one large bed, but it was enough to through the night. The Ghostfeather set down his items and sat on the bed. He saw the box television in front of him and searched for the remote. Upon finding it, he turned on the TV and began flipping through the channels. Soaps, animal channel, kids channel, sports, Paladins, cooking- Wait. Strix flipped back, now watching the program.

The game was along the lines of red vs blue. Two groups were fighting against one another taking control of the middle of the arena. As the screen switched to another fighter, Strix nearly jumped out of the bed.

It was Buck, jumping into enemy lines and shooting them down with his gun. His fighting style was different then Strix remembered. He was somehow able to heal himself and his jumping distance seemed far greater.

The screen now switched to an older elven man. He was attacking what seemed to be a man with a bow and arrow. Alongside the elven man was darker skinned man wielding two guns. He slid near the man with bow and arrow and shot him down instantly. The two began to stay at the glowing middle before a “Victory! Red Team!” appeared on the screen. The screen vanished to black before it showed a replay of a much taller woman that seemed to be made of stone. On the bottom left it showed: Top Play: Inara. She shot shards of stone from a staff with an orange crystal in the middle. In just a few seconds she already struck down three enemies in a row, one of them being Buck. The screen darkened then showed stats of each fighter.

“And this will be the final game! Thank you for joining us here today and we will see you next time!” A voice said. With that, the screen turned to the logo of the games: Paladins, Champions of the Realm. Strix groaned, turning off the television. Late yet again.

Maybe another time, Strix thought as he put down the remote. He dug through his bag, pulling out rotten food and disposing of it in the trash. He grabbed his water canteen and entered the bathroom. There, he emptied the canteen into the drain and filled it up with the water the sink provided. After filling it, he stashed it away in his bag. Strix tucked away his pistol into a holster on his belt and left his bag by the nightstand before leaving the room. He walked to the entrance of the motel and up to the clerk.

“May I help you, sir?” The clerk asked.

“Do you know of any transportation nearby?” Strix asked.

“There is a bus that travels to the nearest towns. You can find it on Albarry Street just left of here. Follow the street and you should find it,” The clerk replied.

“Thanks,” Strix said and left. He headed towards the street then followed it’s path. Strix could see now the sun was setting—orange and yellows painting the sky while pink clouds float gently across it.

It was then Strix’s mind began to wander. The thoughts of his old Warband and his commander Viktor. Grand Magister Karne speaking in meetings that no one paid attention to. Training Kinessa from dawn to twilight. The scout missions with Viktor.

Strix stopped as he reached the terminal. He stood in front of it, processing. He processed the thought of Viktor through his mind over and over. Was he really finding Karne just to find Viktor? Had all of this adventure been really for him?

No, Strix answered. This is for something to do with the rest of my life. Not go chasing for someone.

He entered the bus station and looked at the routes. At last, he found what he needed: Hollowbarn.

Hollowbarn was a town Strix knew. From there he could get to the Magistrate Palace without any zeppelin or bus if he wished, however taking a bus seemed better then traveling on foot.

Strix looked at the times displayed for the next pick up. 9:45. That was tonight—Strix looked at the sky—and in a few hours.

Forget the motel, Strix thought as he swatted a hand and rushed back to the same motel. He checked out rather quickly, the clerk staring at him confused but proceeded to take the action and let him have his money back. Strix went back to the station and waited. The time ticked slowly as Strix waited and waited. He looked from both sides of the road, hoping for the bus to arrive, despite it being too early.

Strix was now thinking again. He delved deeper into thought about Buck. The man seemed so different to Strix now. Fighting for entertainment? What was going on? Strix remembered the battle-ready Buck that would always get eager before a fight. A man who’d be the first to run into battle, guns blazing. Someone that the Sentinels needed. But now Buck seemed much more different. Being able to jump.. higher? That was something Strix never expected to see from him. The program did seem to fit for Buck the more Strix continued to question about it.

Secondly, how many people were in this program that he knew? Buck, Fernando, Kinessa... Strix didn’t know the witchdoctor that day with the Gorlock, yet they seemed to be in it as well. Could Viktor possibly be in it? It seemed too childish, so Strix doubted that Viktor would join in these games, yet the chance lingered. Viktor could be like Strix; a man with an empty path—nowhere to go. Finding something to do for the rest of their life before whatever hits them to their death bed.

Thirdly, did Karne know of this “program?”. Could he be sending his troops there purposely? Or did his troops quit? And what about the Resistance? Were they in it as well?

A loud hiss was in front of Strix as he peered up to see a large bus before him, opening its doors. Strix hurriedly gathered his things and boarded the bus.

“Hollowbarn?” The bus driver asked. Strix nodded. “Twelve gold.”

Strix dug through the pouch that Orpha had given him and took out the twelve gold, placing it in the box next to the driver. Strix then walked through the aisle, finding an empty seat near a window. He took a seat, placing his bag on the seat next to him and stared out the window. The bus hissed again before beginning to drive down the road. Strix watched the sleeping town pass by as the bus continued. After a few minutes, it was a pure dark field. Some stars were visible as the night was gradually waking. Strix propped back his seat and pulled at his hood. He crossed his arms and legs and laid back, closing his eyes. He imagined being in the Magistrate Palace. The red, glass-stained windows that lit up the rooms with the exact same color. The banners of the Magistrate’s symbol that flew ever so gently if any breeze came into contact with it. The odd smell of lavender mixed with dust that seemed welcoming in a way. The granite floor that reflected everything like a pool of water. The exact route to get to Karne’s office. The place Strix would be in a matter of weeks if things ran smoothly.

Strix sighed, opening an eye to see the stars now becoming more visible. He saw the galaxy before him. The moons and the planets that stood overhead, threatening in a way, but peaceful. He closed his eye and let himself fall asleep, soon waking to the travel ahead of him.


	7. Chapter 5

Strix stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the large palace above. He felt his neck ache from how much he had to tilt his head. He made his way past the town and over a large bridge. He watched nobles and higher ranks pass by him and away from the palace. Strix reached the entrance to the palace, seeing two guards keep post. He approached them, digging through his bag.

“Halt, what is your-” Strix flashed his sentinel badge to the guard, who stopped speaking. “You may proceed, sir.” They finished, allowing Strix to enter. The Ghostfeather opened the large doors, closing them behind him. As the door slammed shut, he kept his vision to the metal doors, taking a deep breath of the lavender air, before slowly turning around to the grand entrance of the palace.

There were two staircases that led to the same balcony and first floor of the palace. Below the staircase was a single hallway. To the right and left of Strix was even more corridors. From the ceiling, two large red banners swayed in the light breeze with the Magistrate symbol. Strix dusted himself before turning right. He wandered the maze of corridors but knew exactly where to go. He finally reached a dark, blood red door with a golden carved knob.  _ Karne’s Office. _ Strix’s knuckle hovered in front of the door for a few seconds before Strix eventually knocked.

No answer.

Strix knocked again, yet got the same response. The man turned away from the door and now wandered to his old quarters. He remembered the location: second floor, third hallway on the right. He followed the same path, a hint of nostalgia running through his head. As he found his room, he opened the door. It was well made and undisturbed. Strix closed the door behind him and threw his bag on the bed. He peered around the room one more time before leaving and walking a couple more hallways down. He stopped at another door and knocked at it. No one answered yet again. Strix felt a bit upset and slowly opened the door. It too was undisturbed, clean and empty. Strix closed the door and walked through the palace and towards one of the backyards—mainly the training area. Strix saw a couple of people outside, no one that seemed familiar. Before Strix left, Strix watched a larger figure enter outside. A familiar figure.

“Ash!” Strix called out. The war machine’s head turned to Strix.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Ash said as Strix walked up to her. “I thought you were gone for good!”

“I thought the exact same thing,” Strix said.

“And you haven’t changed a damn bit!” Ash exclaimed, laughing. “Still wearing that hood?”

“I’ll wear this to my grave,” Strix said. “Because then no one will be able to see me when I die.”

Ash chuckled, taking a toothpick out of her mouth and flicking it. “What are you here for?”

“To see Karne. Speaking of which, have you seen him? He wasn’t in his office,” Strix said.

“If he’s not in his office, he’s probably taking a break on that balcony of his,” Ash said.

“I’ll go see if he’s there,” Strix said and started to walk off.

“Hey, Strix!”

He turned around.

“Good to see you again,” Ash said, smirking. Strix smiled back before entering the palace and wandering it’s corridors once more. He had finally got to the floor where he needed to be, slightly out of breath. His legs ached from the flight of stairs, making Strix hiss a bit. He walked to an entrance, pushing past sheets that served as a door. What he saw was a stone room with a huge pool of water in the middle. Vines and other vegetation hung from the ceiling. On the other side of the huge pool of water, there sat Karne, leaning against the edge of the railing.

“Magister,” Strix greeted. The man jumped slightly then spun around. His eyebrows shot up.

“Strix,” Karne said. “I didn’t expect to see you. At all.”

Strix walked up to Karne, standing next to him. They both looked out to the stretching land and fields. Hills and mountains blocked any further view.

“What brings you to me?” Karne asked.

“Anything you need to be done. I heard you're still fighting for those crystals,” Strix replied.

“That’s partly true. I’m just keeping a monitored eye with them,” Karne said, going back to leaning over the railing. “And I got a couple of things you can do, but I’ll let you rest for a while.”

“Thank you,” Strix said. They both watched the town below and the clouds moving past the mountains and hills. Karne walked away from the railing.

“Follow me,” Karne said. “I want to talk.”

Strix followed Karne, exiting the balcony. Karne walked through the corridors, knowing where each led.

“It’s been how many years now?” Karne began. “Nearly four years now?”

“Felt awfully longer than that,” Strix commented. “Especially when you’ve probably traveled around the world at this point.”

“Travelling? Were you traveling that long?” Karne questioned, blinking in surprise.

“Roughly,”

“Where did you start traveling?”

“The same spot where the sentinels disbanded,”

“All the way at Eagle’s Peak!? That’s a continent away!” Karne exclaimed. “And you have been just roaming?”

“Finding something to do. After a while, I thought it would be best to come back,” Strix continued.

“Good to have one of the soldiers back,” Karne said. “And I mean it.”

“Actually, regarding that. Do you know about that ‘Paladins’ program going on?” Strix asked. Karne stopped walking. He let out a deep sigh, before resuming his walk.

“That ‘program’ has been stealing my soldiers for that past few years. First, it was Fernando, Skye, and Buck. Then slowly the group that calls themselves ‘Hi-Rez’”—Karne made air quotes with his fingers—“Have been stealing more of my soldiers ever since. They got Lex, Torvald, Tyra, even Viktor!”

Strix felt the world stop. He didn’t know if Karne continued talking for it was muted of how long Strix processed the mere name of Viktor. He felt that name echo in his head. Viktor, Viktor, Viktor—over and over it kept going. They all were there then. All of his old members: Buck, Viktor, and Tyra. All of his Warband.

“Also, I heard they hired some old Resistance members as well,” Strix finally heard Karne say.

“I-Is that true?” Strix asked, recollecting himself.

“You know what I thought?” Karne said. “They are preventing the war even further. Getting those who were in the war and keeping them in this fighting program till they wear themselves out and eventually retire. Anyone who holds a form of power or impacts the crystal war is going to end up in that stupid game. Especially you.”

“I hope that doesn’t happen,” Strix said. Karne and Strix stopped when they got to Karne’s office. Karne opened the door, allowing Strix to enter. Strix took a seat in front of Karne’s desk. Karne sat behind his own desk and leaned in, his elbows on the desk and finger intertwined.

“That’s why I have a plan in motion. Now keep in mind only Skye and Lian know this, though Lian is not in the program yet. Now you will know this too if you were ever given the option to join this program,” Karne said.

“What plan?” Strix inquired.

“So far we have gone back into another peaceful era, slightly, however, there still is case after case of people abusing the crystals. I want you to keep note of who owns these crystals, where they are from and what they are used for,” Karne explained. He then leaned behind his desk and pulled out a file. He opened it and scanned through it.

“Now see here, this note was from Skye who mentioned a stagella, or rock people, named Inara who uses these crystals to ‘protect the wild’. With this information, long ago I had researchers do their work and found where a possible group of stagella lived. We had a couple of scouts go around there and apparently there was one man who knew this Inara,” Karne continued. He got up and ushered Strix to follow. They both walked out of Karne’s office and now towards an unknown area where Strix had been. They entered through a wooden door and walked down a stone, spiral staircase.

“So, I sent an army over there, Khan and Ash commanding that very army and scared the stagella away. None had died keep in mind. All but one that refused to back down,” Karne said. They had reached the base of what was now the dungeon of the palace. Strix followed Karne, peering through each jail cell. Some of them were empty, only filled with a couple of prisoners. As they delved further into the dungeon two large guards blocked a large metal door. They allowed access to both Karne and Strix who entered in. In the room, it was heavily guarded: five guards kept post. Strix then walked next to Karne who stood in front of a cell.

“Terminus,” Karne said. Strix saw the large monstrosity in the cell. It was made of pure stone, large dark purple crystals jutted out from his body. Its attention was focused on Karne and Strix. It growled and turned away, it’s back to them now.

“We got curious to what made a stagella so powerful. So, we revived him, now making him a monster to our command. Soon enough once I feel satisfied with what information I got from that program, I will send this beast to keep Hi-Rez busy,” Karne said, smiling. Karne exited, Strix still following like a shadow. He turned back to the monster who laid still before joining Karne again.

“Wouldn’t this continue another crystal war?” Strix asked.

“What can the Resistance do when their soldiers don’t know what’s going on? And I am not killing anyone! So, there’s nothing to argue against. I have Ash and Khan ask them to gather the crystals and if they refuse, the army forces themselves in. Simple as that,” Karne said.

“That’s.. The same exact thing you did that sparked the crystal war in the beginning,” Strix argued. “Don’t you see that you are going to start another crystal war if you continue this?”

Karne spun around, glaring at Strix. “Hi-Rez knows this as well, but I keep them paid to keep quiet. They seem to favor me well, so, no one in that program knows what’s going outside.”

“This is so wrong,” Strix groaned, rubbing his temple. “This feels so, so wrong.”

Karne grabbed the scruff of Strix’s shirt and pulled his downwards. Karne’s eyes fumed with rage as he flared his nostrils.

“You are the one who fought in the war correct? You came back to do your job, correct? If you want it to stay that way, you keep your mouth shut and follow your orders,” Karne hissed. He shoved Strix away, the Ghostfeather nearly falling back. Karne returned to his normal calm posture as if nothing happened and walked back to his office, leaving Strix alone. Strix wished he could leave, but knew that coming all the way here was for nothing. Yet it felt so wrong. To give out this information about the people’s hometown only for it to be raided by an army and scavenged of crystals. The people within this program. Not ever knowing what happened.

_ He makes a point though, _ Strix thought.  _ I’ve been spilling blood longer then the war has been going on. If they are truly not being harmed, then is it truly okay to raid those lands? _

Strix gripped his head, feeling it argue with a throb of pain—not wishing to think too deeply. Strix had no other choice but to follow through with the plans that Karne wished. He had only hoped it wouldn’t escalate into another crystal war and cause more chaos once again nor allow bloodshed that painted every battlefield. Strix shook his head, erasing of whatever was in his mind then walked off and away from where Karne headed.


End file.
